Rue | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 24

Ibeth heard noise early in the morning.

She had been awake for hours already, too scared to let her guard down after what Aurora had said. Her door had been blocked from the living room, preventing her from escaping. But she could still hear the two vampires moving around the house.

And they were bringing someone in. Someone who smelled familiar.

Through a crack in the door she caught sight of Klaus, unconscious and with blood on his chest. They tied him to a log of wood with runic markings, tied to the ceiling and keeping him bound by his arms and on his knees.

Lucien reached into Klaus's chest, withdrawing Papa Tunde's blade and effectively waking him up in the most brutal way possible. Klaus let out a grunt of pain, yanking his arms forward and finding himself unable to break free.

"That does look uncomfortable," said Lucien cheekily. "Is it too tight?"

"No," said Aurora. "I think it fits just fine."

"Those chains and that wood were crafted by Ancient Egyptians keen on suppressing all sorts of evil," explained Lucien patronizingly. "Nothing supernatural can escape— not even you. You see, I've been stockpiling such items for a long, long time. Planning this moment for centuries. Tell me— how does it feel, knowing you've been outdone by your better?"

Klaus scoffed. "You think you're my better? I think your upgrade has infected your head, and made you as delusional as her." He nodded to Aurora. "At least you're truly a pair. I'll be sure to scatter both your ashes in the same patch of bog."

"Is that a hint of fear in his voice?" asked Lucien.

"Yeah," agreed Aurora. "I wonder what he's so afraid of."

Lucien gripped Klaus's face. "There's fear in his eyes, too."

"Do to me what you'd like," said Klaus coldly. "But leave Ibeth and my children out of this."

"How precious," said Aurora sweetly. "But it's a tad late for that."

Ibeth leapt away from the door just as Aurora kicked it open and pulled her out by her hair, tossing her in front of Klaus.

He struggled against the chains, grunting in effort as Lucien picked Ibeth back up, roughly shoving her into Aurora's waiting grip.

"Are you afraid, Niklaus?" cooed Aurora, smoothing her hand across Ibeth's very breakable neck. "Afraid of what might happen to this little beast?"

"Release her," demanded Klaus. "It is me who has wronged you, she did nothing."

Ibeth started to shake her head, wanting him not to continue down that path. She knew how Aurora would react and she was proven right a second later.

She croaked as Aurora shoved her hand into her chest from behind, gripping her heart. "Now, now, Rory," warned Lucien. "I can hear that little mutt's heart beating away."

"He knows I won't kill her now," said Aurora, resting her head on Ibeth's shoulder. "And yet that look in his eyes... do you see it? He is terrified. Perhaps I might wait to kill him... to make sure he can watch as I drain her of blood as soon as she gives birth."

"Release her," Klaus snarled, "or—"

"Or what?" asked Aurora, twisting Ibeth's heart and making her gasp even louder, tears streaming down her cheeks.

He found himself struggling to speak. "Poor show!" said Lucien. "Usually your taunts and threats are so much more convincing."

"I think he's beaten, my darling," said Aurora. "Just not yet broken. But then, we're just getting started." She let go of Ibeth, letting her fall to the floor crying and gasping, curling into a little ball to shield her stomach and chest from further attacks.